The Blindingly Bright Stars
by Crona Gorgon
Summary: Renee decides to adopt - after Twilight, before Bella's birthday. Sucky summary! Just read the prologue.


**A/N: I don't own Twilight!**

**This takes place just after the first book. Bella's birthday has not happened yet. I posted this story before, but decided to delete it and edit it, make the chapters longer. Remember: The POV switches from OC to Bella without warning! I hope you enjoy, and the best way to let me know is to REVIEW!**

**-Charlie**

_Prologue_

I clenched my teeth; listening to the ultimatum the Cullens were facing me with.

It wasn't fair. I couldn't believe my luck. This new move should have been just like the others. My life was boring, but change wasn't very safe. I didn't want to be on anyone's radar, I wanted to be a part of the background, unnoticeably changing things here and there. Was that so awful?

The father, Carlisle, seemed reluctant to be doing this—though to me there was little consolation in that. A lot of the family was slightly confused, I thought smugly, though that brown haired moron was totally determined and certain.

Renee looked on helplessly as I made the decision that would determine whether or not I lived or died.

* * *

"Holy—!" I covered my mouth as my eyes quickly scanned the bright bluish screen.

Edward looked up from where he sat on my bed, looking up at me curiously from one of the new books we'd gotten from Seattle. We'd finally made the trip because I still needed books, and we had just gotten back. "What is it?" his soothing voice asked politely.

"Edward, I think my mother's planning to have another child. On a whim." The edges of his mouth twitched, but his expression remained serious as he silently walked to me to look over my shoulder at Renee's most recent email.

"Re: Re: How are you?

Bella

I'm glad to hear that everything is going okay there. Yes, I'm doing fine as well… Phil and I have been talking though. I've been feeling just a little lonely lately, and wanting more, from life, from love. Bella, I think I want more children."

This was where I'd had to stop for a second. But my eyes refused to stop reading, and scanned on, so I shut them tight. First of all, she's never really been so deep, I thought. And Renee's never said anything about this before. Is she joking?

No, this was probably just another…phase… Renee often got it into her head that she wanted something, but eventually it fell apart, neglected because it was just too much, too hard. For example, when my mother had randomly Googled miniature airplanes. After looking at a couple of websites, she said, 'Bella, this doesn't look too hard.' I did my best to help the project go as far as it could, but upon opening the box marked 'DIY series—mini airplane,' Renee tossed the instructions in the trash. "We can figure it out." And by the end of that, what we were left with was a half-done gluey mess, with rough inside-out wings that stuck up awkwardly.

That was her usual MO in this kind of situation. Except, most of the time, it was small aircraft instead of kids.

But I was getting ahead of myself. I hadn't even finished her email.

"We have been looking into adoption, and I believe we've found just the right agency, but I wanted to tell you first, Bella, since it would, after all, be your sister. Yes, we've decided on another girl...

Please tell me what you think.

Mom"

Oh. Wow.

Edward was trying not to chuckle, I could tell. "What is so funny?" I asked him incredulously.

"Your mother is a little predictable, Bella,'" he said very matter-of-factly. A silly grin was plastered on his face, if he could look silly.

"Oh," I sighed. "I know. What should I tell her?" I chewed on a fingernail, my mind racing. I was already wondering what she would be like, though I tried to convince myself that Renee wasn't serious.

Edward sat on the bed softly; calm now, unable to remove my favorite crooked smile from his lips in amusement. "Tell her what you think. She asked, although I'm not sure you'll give her quite the answer she wants… What _do_ you think of this?" He seemed genuinely curious, but I was peeved by the indirect snide comment.

"Well, I know she thinks she's serious. Renee raised me well enough, though at some point it was the other way around. I don't know if she really is serious."

Still smiling wonderfully, he examined my involuntarily desperate expression. My heart felt like it was going to implode at any moment. "You didn't answer my question."

I guessed I hadn't. But it got harder to talk as I was a little dazed. I shut my plain brown eyes tight. There was a reason I hadn't answered directly. Something I had sometimes wanted and wondered about. Edward stared at me expectantly, becoming annoyed by my silence.

He didn't let up, and I struggled not to give in to his voice. I sighed, knowing he would get his way eventually. I folded my arms as I tried to resist as long as I could, pouting.

Edward laughed out loud and he sounded like he was roaring. When I looked up though, he was staring deep into my eyes, and he had come much closer to me, our noses almost touching. I was surprised at the nearness.

"Please tell me," he pleaded quietly, feigning desperation, and I stopped breathing entirely, my heartbeat speeding up noticeably… at least to him.

"I…always wanted a sister. But I don't think Renee's serious. I don't think she's that responsible, either, but I wish she could be…and I feel bad. I really wish she could adopt a kid now, and I don't know what to say."

He stared at me with an endless, dark golden gaze, trying to read my expression, I supposed, and his face grew more annoyed at the fact that I was the one exception to his talent. 'Well, I think I understand, and sympathize. I have an idea.' He scooped me up without a second thought, holding me up like a toddler, and carried me over to the bed. He sat down with an amused expression on his flawless face, and sat me down on his lap, wrapping his arms around my chest. My face must have looked like a tomato as he spoke.

"Tell your mother she should do what she thinks is right. Remind Renee of her flighty tendencies." He paused then. "If she does adopt a child. Do you want to go to Florida?"

I stopped and considered. I really would want to see the baby, if there was going to be one. I almost asked him what he would do during the daytime, but I realized he wouldn't have asked if he hadn't figured it out.

"Yes."

* * *

I rolled my eyes as I listened to Wendy drone on about how another foster family wanted to adopt me. It was boring, because I knew they wouldn't, really. So it didn't matter much, did it? I wasn't even listening, until I heard where they lived.

"Really, Wendy… Jacksonville?"

She chuckled, and breathed nervously. "Yes, well… Renee's a friend of mine, though. You'll like her." I grinned mischievously and she frowned. She continued hurriedly. "She just got married, and her husband plays baseball… She has a daughter who lives in Washington."

I sighed. Wendy got annoying sometimes. "I guess it might work. When am I leaving?" I knew she had probably already packed my clothes and booked my flight.

"Um… later tonight, actually." She bit her fingernail. "Is that all right, Adeline?"

"Yeah, that's fine. Let's head to the airport." She scurried to my room to bring out my luggage, and I saw her hands shake as she plucked her keys from the hook. "Hurry up!" She picked up the pace as she got both our coats. Swiftly pulling mine on, I opened and shut the door as we left.

* * *

I felt tense as I sat at the table across from Charlie. He wouldn't like what I had to say. I knew he wouldn't want to hear about Renee having more kids.

When I finished my scrambled eggs I set my fork down and stared at my plate meaningfully. I furrowed my eyebrows and thought about how to bring this up. I finally decided to be blunt.

"Renee's thinking about adopting," I blurted, unsure of how he might react.

He said nothing, simply nodded; his face grew noticeably tense, as I imagined mine might look.

"Yes, well… I was thinking if she does, I would go to Florida. You know, to see the baby."

"Oh. Yeah. I guess you would want to… Is anyone going with—"

"Edward would come with me."

His eyes bulged and his face was a startling shade of pink. "Bella, I don't think that you should take him to Jacksonville! How would your mother—!"

Once again, I interrupted Charlie. "Dad, Esme and Carlisle already bought the tickets."

"…When you say tickets, you mean they bought for both of you…? That's great, Bella, but I can't accept…"

"Please. I wouldn't want to waste Esme's money." It was a dirty move, but this time, I hit the nail on the head. He glanced at me angrily, but couldn't argue.

"Well, I guess…if it is okay with Edward's parents, too, then, I suppose, if Renee really is…adopting…you have my permission to go."

My expression was light again. I beamed at Charlie, knowing all the while he was seething inside at the slight to his authority, wishing he had a proper reason to forbid the trip.

* * *

The trip to Jacksonville passed slowly. One thing I was not blessed with was patience, and I didn't sleep on the whole flight. Wendy could barely contain her excitement when she meekly waved goodbye, seeing me off at the airport. The female flight attendants were sickly friendly; they purposefully passed me more often and cooed at me, making conversation with each other about how adorable I was, asking me, "How old are you? What's your name?" and inquiring about my trip.

"Nine," I said fleetingly, hoping to shorten our near one-sided conversation. "Addie."

But it was still a short flight from New York to Florida, so I gritted my teeth and tried to shake them off as much as was possible. When people started getting up and reaching into the overhead compartments, walking down the aisles and down the sturdy steps, I stood up, and since most of the flight attendants were busy helping people, I nimbly stood up on the seat, slid open the door above my head and pulled my one blue duffle back out.

Ignoring the stares not so much as from embarrassment as disinterest, I hopped off from where I stood and filed out with everyone, down the clanging metal steps and followed a portion of the crowd to the gate. My flight arrived at the airport around eight o'clock, and it was getting dark already.

While countless people poured past me to meet their families and loved ones, I moved to the side so as not to be trampled and scanned the jumble. Wendy had shown me a picture of Renee so I would recognize her, but all of a sudden two teenagers moved to the front; one a pretty girl with plain, wavy brown hair; the other a boy whom I supposed was stunningly beautiful, with reddish hair, pointing at me. I heard him mumbling to her that he'd seen me, and I stepped forward to them. Who were they? Renee's daughter, I guessed, but had she brought her boyfriend along? Because what really surprised me—and it's not easy to do that, I assure you—was that the boy with copper hair was a vampire.


End file.
